Welcome at the Gates
by Yoroshii Ohtori
Summary: It was raining cats and dogs that night. Everything went by so slowly that Kaoru had to reminisce the pain and torment he got. The raindrops running down his face were now mixing with his sweat & tears... as well as his blood.


**Welcome at the Gates**

**By:** Klyukaizer

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

It was raining hard by the time it all ended. Kaoru Koganei, a 15-year-old brunette, bearer of the mighty Kougan Anki, didn't expect he would get a treatment like this from - whom he believed - was his brother.

He felt betrayed.

He felt guilt running over him.

He also felt relieved that he finally got what he deserved.

Wait a minute! This is isn't right! Isn't it, Koganei? For a brother would never, much yet _allow_,this kind of punishment to his own brother. But Kaoru never really thought they were biological brothers.

He was a mere comrade, a partner... a slave. He was only a burden.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

It was raining cats and dogs that night. Everything went by so slowly that Kaoru had to reminisce the pain and torment he got. The raindrops running down his face were now mixing with his sweat and tears...

As well as his blood.

He couldn't open his eyes. He just couldn't. His body was paralyzed, beaten and tired. Maybe if he would surrender to the darkness, then... everything would be all right. All the pain will stop. All the anger would stop.

And all the hatred would stop.

"Koganei!"

He couldn't believe it. He _refused_ to believe it.

"Kaoru-_kun_!"

How could someone call him at a time like this?

"Oi! Koganei!"

How did they found out? Why did they even care?

"Oh my God, Kaoru!"

He tried desperately to open his eyes, trying to look at those faces that he referred as his 'saviors'. As soon as he did, only the color of crimson came into view and as well as blurry figures in front of him.

"Koganei..." Someone said as he was brought into warm arms. He reached out with his bloody hands to that person as the person grasped it tight. "We're here... you don't have to be afraid."

Kaoru grasped the hand with all of his strength... from both fear and happiness. Someone actually cared for him! And he fears he might leave the world soon before knowing who they are.

A hand softly nuzzled his hair as another voice came into his hearing, "Shh... Don't be scared. We'll make sure you're safe."

And with that, he wept out one last tear, and everything went black.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

_...Flashback..._

_Kaoru screamed loud as he was sent flying into a nearby tree. Making his breathing shorten into painful gasps. Kaoru slid to the floor as he tried to eye out his enemies._

_"If you cooperate with us, we'll make your death less painful, Koganei." It was Miki. "Nothing personal, but we're just doing our jobs!" Aki was there too, "It hurts us to see a fellow-Uruha die in our hands but we have to do this, we have no choice!"_

_"Did Kurei send you here?" Kaoru demanded. "Now that's for us to know... and for you to find out!" Miki winked at him and started jumping into the air._

_"DIE!"_

_Kaoru instantly changed his Kougan Anki into giant scissors, which gave him little time of defense. "Wrong move." Aki sneered from behind of him. And the next thing he knew, his eyes were blasted with a full force and a long gash made it's way horizontally into Kaoru's eyes._

_Kaoru screamed in pain, holding his bleeding eyes. "If you could've surrendered sooner, you won't die being blind, Koganei." Miki smirked._

_Kaoru dropped to the ground with his hands on his eyes. Aki slowly approached the boy and embraced him from behind. "We could've been friends if you didn't leave Uruha behind, Koganei." Aki pouted in fakery, "Too late."_

_And with one swift movement, Kaoru fell to the ground with another deep gash... right in his back. Miki and Aki giggled as they walked in circles with Kaoru in the middle. Walking as if they were the vultures and Kaoru their prey._

_"Let's finish this quickly."_

_"That's enough!" A new voice said as 2 girls raised their heads to see their raven-haired master._

_"Kurei-sama!"_

_"He has had enough. He will die with all the blood loss anyway. Let's go." And with that, Kurei disappeared, followed by the 2 girls._

_...Flashback ends..._

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"We saw everything, Koganei... in Kagerou's crystal ball. It was Kurei, wasn't it? He sent out Miki and Aki to get you!" It was Recca. He knew it from the tone of the voice, as well as a hint of stupidity from it.

Kaoru didn't reply. Recca didn't even know he was awake, well, because of the bandage around Kaoru's eyes.

"And I thought he changed. Hn!" Recca cursed under his breath. Making Kaoru tremble on what might Recca do to Kurei.

"It's- it's nothing." Kaoru whispered. "Koganei! You're awake!" Recca cried in happiness, "Wait! I'll go get the others!"

"No! P- please don't." Kaoru held him back as Kaoru sat upright and searched blindly for Recca's hand. "Why, Koganei?" Recca asked. "I- I don't feel like talking." Kaoru said.

"I- I mean, why? Why do you keep on accepting things like these so easily?" Recca asked, the tone of anger in his voice.

"I feel like I deserved all of this." Kaoru answered truthfully. "Deserved? _Deserved?_" Kaoru felt Recca rise from his seat. "This is the 3rd attempt Kurei tried to kill you! First, that freakish face-obsessed, mummy man! Second, Kurei himself tried to cut you in half with his own flame! Now, this?" Recca half-shouted.

**~ Kaoru's P.O.V. ~**

"I DESERVED IT, OKAY?" I yelled at the top of my lungs with such anger. My eyes were now filled with tears as the cloth of the bandage around my eyes slowly sucked them.

"No, you DON'T!" Recca raised his voice and grabbed me by the shoulders. I winced in pain at the sudden contact; Recca noticed this and let go of me instantly.

Silence fell upon us for a few moments before I started, "Why is it such a big deal to you?" I asked softly. Recca didn't answer that. I knew it! He never _had_ a reason! It's either his brain can't process it well... or he actually doesn't _have _a reason.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"Why do you care so much about me?" Kaoru rephrased the question. But still, Recca didn't have the answer. Kaoru was getting nervous to the silence... he didn't like silence. He always remembers about the darkness.

"Answer me!" Kaoru raised his voice.

Kaoru felt a warm, soft embrace around him. "Because we love you... and you are one of us. You are our friend, Kaoru-_kun_!"

"Yanagi-_neechan_..." Kaoru whispered.

"I'm so happy you're awake!" Yanagi smiled, crying on the Fang Boy's shoulder. "I thought you wouldn't make it!"

"Y- you healed me?" Kaoru asked nervously. "Yeah, I did." Yanagi nodded. "What?!" Kaoru half-shouted. "It was only for a little while. We stopped her." Tokiya joined. "Tokiya-_niichan_?" Kaoru muttered.

"Besides, Tokiya here wraps bandages good!" Fuuko laughed which made Kaoru grin. "These bandages will be taken off a day after tomorrow!" Tokiya notified as he laid a hand on Kaoru's shoulder.

"Wow... sudden attitude-change in everyone, huh?" Kaoru joked. His fangs visible to those in front of him.

"Oi! Koganei!"

"Yeah, Domon?" Kaoru raised his head to the sound of the voice. "Let's have a match after you get well, okay?" Domon winked. "_Hai_!" Kaoru smiled. "Why don't _we_ have a match first, eh?" Fukko cracked her knuckles and faced Domon menacingly.

"I'll pass." Domon sweat dropped.

"WHAT???"

"I'll pass too..." Tokiya joined emotionlessly. Recca just raised his hand in agreement to the other 2 fighters. "How about you, Koganei?" Fuuko sneered.

Kaoru quickly flopped into the bed. Making his head comfortable to the pillow, and snored out loud. "ACK! How dare you, Koganei!!!" Fuuko exclaimed. Little did she know that the 15-year-old was tired and really _did_ fell asleep.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Kaoru touched the bandage on his eyes. He was feeling a little bit better already and had walked all the way from Recca's house into the park, bringing his Kougan Anki as his notifier.

He settled himself on a bench and sat there restlessly. The first thing he did, was sigh out loud and rest his head on the back of the bench. He needed some time alone... and he got all his time here.

"Somehow, I feel like disappearing someday..." He muttered to himself.

"You will if you keep your guard down."

"AHH!!" Kaoru jumped in surprise. "Jeez, Tokiya-_niisan_! Don't give me a heart attack!"

"I was following you the whole time!" Tokiya snapped silently. "Haven't you noticed or sensed me?"

"Hello! Semi-blind person here!" Kaoru answered sarcastically. "Well, be more active next time." Tokiya murmured, sitting beside the brunette. "What're you doing here anyway?" Kaoru asked coldly.

"Checking up if you're okay." Tokiya answered.

"Look. I know you saved me from Mokuren and I'm very thankful for that. But, can't a guy get alone once in a while? I can take care of myself, you know!" Kaoru half-shouted. Which earned him a clunk in the head. "Hey! Why did you do that?"

"For being stupid." Tokiya answered simply. "That wasn't stupid." Kaoru argued. "Yes, it was. You're not allowed to be alone! Kurei might still come after you… reassuring that you're _really_ dead. And besides, you can _not take care of yourself!" Tokiya scolded._

Kaoru just pouted and crossed his arms. Silence fell before them as the 15-year-old sighed out once again and slouched in his position. "I still can't believe Kurei would do this to me…" He whispered. Tokiya just stared at him coldly.

"I mean- Ugh! Fine! I'm a traitor! I'm a 'nobody' to him! Why does he have to bring up more people just because of me?" Kaoru said angrily, "Aki and Miki were forced to kill me against their own will. Yanagi-_neechan wasted a whole lot of energy just because of me. Now, I'm even a burden to all of you!"_

Kaoru crossed his arms and pouted again. "No fair."

"Hn! Stop acting like a kid." Tokiya snapped.

"Eh?"

"You're never a burden to us. Like what Yanagi had said. You are one of us now. You are a Hokage." Tokiya answered. Kaoru lowered his head, "Y- yeah, I- I guess so…"

"But, I do feel… l- left out sometimes." Kaoru said truthfully, "Am I really a Hokage? Or… Uruha?"

"You. Where do you want to be?" Tokiya asked.

"Eh?"

"It's your choice, Koganei. No one is forcing you to join a side. It's all your decision."

"But then, I would still be an enemy to the opposite side. I don't want that." Kaoru said sadly.

"You can never have too much of everything. That's why we are allowed to make decisions." Tokiya snapped, placing his hands on his pockets and standing up. "It's your choice, Koganei. Whether you're with us. Or against us." And with that, the platinum-haired fighter left.

_'Am I Hokage? Or Uruha?'_ Kaoru asked himself.

Kaoru thought. He always had a loving brother in Uruha. Everyone was nice to him and everybody would always have fun together.

While in Hokage, he had 2 brothers, an elder sister, a younger sister, and 2 pet monkeys (Fuuko and Domon XD;;) He felt alone sometimes, but then, he felt comfortable around them. He was free. He felt safe. And… he had a family.

A family.

Kaoru took his Kougan Anki as he slowly walked back to the path where he came from.

He had made his decision.

He's a Hokage.

"Tokiya-_niisan_! Wait up!"

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The stars were shining above the dark night. The full moon was shining with the stars, making the clouds puffy beautiful. And in Hanabishi residence, slept a 15-year-old brunette soundlessly.

The bandage on his eyes was now taken off and the gash was shown nakedly to the wind. Making him wince for a moment, but then continued in deep slumber.

A shadow slowly crept inside the dark room as the boy felt a cold hand touch his face. He trembled at the touch as his hands clutched in fear. This feeling was making his nightmares worst. But somehow, he can't help but melt into the touch.

A touch from a loving brother.

"This is your new home now, Koganei." The man whispered into the boy's ear, "I'll welcome you anytime at my gates." And with that, he disappeared along with the cold wind. And along with the nightmare Kaoru had had.

"Goodbye, Kurei-_niichan_…" Kaoru whispered.

_Owari._


End file.
